Chapter 22: Problem 8

What law was passed to cope with the problem of abandoned hazardous-waste sites? What are the main features of the legislation?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or Superfund, was passed to address abandoned hazardous-waste sites. Its main features include facilitating clean-up of short-term and long-term hazardous substance releases, establishing the 'polluter pays' principle, and setting rules for closing and monitoring waste sites.

Step by step solution

Identify the Law

The law passed to cope with the problem of abandoned hazardous-waste sites is called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) also known as Superfund.

Main Features - Part 1

The main features of Superfund are primarily comprised of two actions: Removal actions, which facilitate clean-up of short-term releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances; and remedial actions, aiming at sites with releases or threatened releases at long-term hazardous waste sites.

Main Features - Part 2

Another central aspect of Superfund is that it also established the 'polluter pays' principle, which implies that the entities responsible for pollution are obligated to bear the cost of clean-up. In case the responsible party cannot be identified or is insolvent, the fund provides for the cleanup.

Main Features - Part 3

Moreover, the CERCLA law has set rules for closing and checking waste sites, and for liability of people associated with those sites.

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What law was passed to cope with the problem of abandoned hazardous-waste sites? What are the main features of the legislation?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Identify the Law

Main Features - Part 1

Main Features - Part 2

Main Features - Part 3

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